Tommy, ups and downs

Dear All,

This is an update on Tommy, the chimp with osteomyelitis.

Our little friend has had daily care for the last 2 months.

Thanks to the vets, Jean Claude & Francis, who assist us here and also thanks to Dr Carmen Vidal of the Lwiro Primates Sanctuary, Tommy’s arm has progressed a lot. Antibiotherapy was started end of November and didn’t seem to give Tommy secondary effects.

The young chimp has gained in weight, has healed mentally, started using his arm about 4 weeks ago  and the infection disappeared nearly completely.

We all were relieved and happy to see that baby Tommy would soon have no bandages any more  and that he would join other friends of the infant group!!!

But things turned out to be totaly different: infection started again 3 days ago and we are now scared something worst might happen as, according to our local vets, infection has maybe developed resistance to the antibiotics and might be located in small cysts all over the upper arm….

Tommy is tired of that daily cleaning up of the wounds. It is stressful AND painful. His behaviour has changed and he eventually shows his canines when he doesn’t want to be touched…

Along with Nalia and Ekolo, Tommy is still staying at our place. Papa Augustin looks after the 3 of them during day and I keep an eye on them at night. Tommy needs his antibiotics every night, so I wake up the small group, give Tommy his little spoon of medication and offer some honey to Nalia and Ekolo who are waiting for their night treat…

I really feel exhausted. Yes, I was already dreaming of the 3 little ones being introduced soon and enjoying a real social chimp life … more obstacles are still to come and we must continue the fight against this severe  infection.

Early this morning we’ll take some blood and pus sample…I really hope I’ll come back to you with better news…

Roxane